2025 Ford Ranger Raptor Review – Golden Retriever Boyfriend
Ford Ranger Raptor Review
“Unleashing the Power: A Comprehensive Review of the 2025 Ford Ranger Raptor with a Touch of Golden Retriever Charm”
Sixty thousand dollars is a big sum. These days, you can also get a lot of truck from almost anyone you want with that much. For that kind of money, Toyota will give you one hell of a Tacoma, one that’s designed to withstand the rigours of off-roading, overlanding, or any number of hip outdoor pursuits (pickleball, anyone?). Chevy will also, and for about $60,000, its Colorado ZR2 will practically go anyplace someone may need it to. Naturally, Ford has a response for the off-road truck that can handle any task.
For over a minute, the truck community has been waiting for a mid-size Raptor, and the smallest Raptor to yet is the answer. With its $750 in “LOOKATMEE” Raptor graphics, a $95 keyless entry pad, and a $495 spray-on bedliner, the vehicle in front of you costs an impressive $58,300. Not to mention the excellent and complimentary shade of Shelter Green paint, which is now my personal favourite colour Ford offers across its whole portfolio. Of course, the truck’s $55,365 MSRP also includes all of the Raptor stuff.
The “Raptor Sauce” features a powerful engine, such as a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6, combined with Ford’s off-road capabilities, all at an affordable price. It delivers 405 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque, making it a winning combination that has contributed to the F-150 and Bronco Raptors’ reputation as some of the most enjoyable vehicles on the market. The Ranger Raptor comes with a range of enhancements, including a 10-speed automatic transmission, four-wheel drive, locking front and rear differentials, and robust 33-inch BFGoodrich KO3 all-terrain tires mounted on a wider track with wider fenders. Like other Raptor models, the Ranger Raptor is equipped with adaptive 2.5-inch internal bypass shocks and an active exhaust system with three modes: loud, and Guy-Everyone-Hates.Ford knows the Raptor demographic by this point.
Fortunately, the intimidating appearance of the Pit-Vipers-and-a-can-of-Skoal is balanced out by the delightful driving characteristics you’ll experience in a high-performance vehicle. All of these Raptors have the playful spirit of rally cars, but they have always needed to be downsized. The main issue with the F-150 and the Bronco Raptor is their large size, making it challenging for them to embody the agile Baja/rally-inspired essence that their parts list suggests. Scaling down the Raptor this time around transforms it into a loyal and eager Golden Retriever Boyfriend: Willing to do anything for you at almost any cost, but lacking a bit in intelligence, albeit in an endearing way. Not in a “crypto to the moon” kind of way.
The Ranger Raptor offers a smooth ride thanks to the squishy KO3 tires. It effortlessly handles various terrains with the V6 engine providing a rhythmic soundtrack, accompanied by the sound of air rushing into the turbos. The 10-speed transmission is reliable, rarely failing to shift, but the small gear indicator in manual mode isn’t very helpful on rough trails. While it excels at rock crawling, other off-road-oriented Rangers like the Tremor can also perform well. The Ranger’s locking differentials and lower ranges make overcoming obstacles easy, as long as you have sufficient clearance. You can usually count on having plenty of clearance.
The Raptor is fast. Remember: this is a great race car. The Golden Retriever pup’s vibrant personality shines through here. This Raptor is best for dirt roads in 2H mode. Its agility on trails is surprising given its size. Just be mindful of quick acceleration and asphalt grip challenges with the KO3 tires.
The rest of the complaints can be directed at the interior space. For one reason or another, shifting the shifter into Drive, Park, or anything in between is a challenge, and in most cases it’s easy to find yourself in neutral instead of drive. There’s a complete lack of positive feedback when it comes to differentiating gears, a strange flaw we’ve never gotten used to. The 12.4-inch vertical infotainment screen is great, but it’s often slow, and the standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto systems sometimes struggle to connect, especially when the system is up and running early. The Ranger also suffers from the same problem as rival midsize trucks: rear passenger space and visibility can be described as “challenging.” Thankfully, the rest of the interior does its best not to offend, and the seats are comfortable with sporty orange accents and Raptor logos scattered throughout.
It’s easy to forgive that, even at this price, simply because the Raptor is so much fun to drive. Ford continues to deliver the mix of fun, antics, and blazing speed that we’ve all come to expect, and the Ranger is a fitting addition to the Raptor lineup. We’re eagerly awaiting the inevitable Maverick Raptor, which should continue to prove that smaller is better. After all, the real Velociraptor was only the size of a medium-sized dog. But this Raptor is your Golden Retriever, happy to do whatever it takes for you in the simplest way possible at all times. It might be the most fun Ford has made since the Mustang.
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